Everyone's favorite: Dead birds!

( Two images of a very decomposed Canada goose )

Cereal beetle

These tiny beetles (about 1mm long) have started showing up in grain products in my area this year. At my work, they are in the cracked corn we feed to the animals; at home, they get into breakfast cereal and other grains. I rinse my rice before cooking it now. They look like plain brown-black bugs until they're under the microscope, and some interesting details are visible.

( one image )

Weird fungus fact

While researching mushroom-producing fungi for a presentation I did at work, I stumbled upon something unexpected. While most survive either by digesting dead wood, or through a mutualism with tree roots, this one (under the cut) does not.

( three images )